Known electromagnetic switching devices have yoke assemblies commonly including two legs connected to each other via a bend. One of the legs has an electromagnetic element, for example a coil wound around the leg. By energizing the coil, electromagnetic flux is induced into the yoke. An armature is disposed at the ends of the legs opposite the bend, the armature being pulled towards the ends of the legs upon energizing the coil. When the armature abuts the ends of the legs, a magnetic circuit is closed and, consequently, the armature is held at the ends of the legs of the yoke. An actuating assembly including the armature further comprises an actuator mechanically interacting with at least one switching contact of the switching device. Upon energizing the coil, the switching contact may be moved from a first position into a second position, where it is brought in electrical contact with at least one contact element of the switching device.
Electromagnetic switching devices known in the art have the disadvantage that the actuating assembly and the switching contacts produce a noise when impinging an abutment face of the yoke and the counter contact, respectively. Further, when moving back from the energized second position into the de-energized first position, the actuating assembly impinges upon the yoke and/or a housing of the switching device. Switching noise from the respective impacts has an adverse effect both acoustically and through mechanical vibration, especially when the electromagnetic switching device is used in industrial applications where multiple electromagnetic switching devices may be arranged next to each other, amplifying the switching noises.